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By Robert Allison Baring Asset Management is pleased to announce the appointment of Satoshi Kobayas...

By Robert Allison

Baring Asset Management is pleased to announce the appointment of Satoshi Kobayashi as director of Japanese Equities.

In his new role, Kobayashi will focus on (amongst other sectors) the Consumer Electronics and Electrical Components. He will also be the Japan SIT representative on the Global Technology sector team. Kobayashi's experience is expected to help both the Global Sector Team and the SIT add value in this critical area of investment analysis.

Kobayashi joins Baring Asset Management from Fuji Investment Management, where he spent five years, most recently as vice-president and fund manager, managing Japanese equity and convertible bond portfolios for 20 public and private pension customers.

He also devised investment schemes and strategies for Japanese equity investments and presented them to prospective pension customers and pension consultants.

Derek Orsborn has joined SecureHealth, one of the leading independent health insurance intermediaries in the UK, as general manager.

Orsborn was formerly group administration manager of Assidoman Packaging UK, where he was responsible for 10 reporting units in the UK.

A chartered accountant with 20 years' management experience, Orsborn was at one time financial director of Gonzalez Byass. At SecureHealth he will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the firm including all fiscal matters and IT initiatives.

Orsborn said: "I am delighted to join SecureHealth at a time of expansion. The whole firm is committed to providing the best medical insurance at affordable prices and I see my role as ensuring that we run an efficient business enabling us to provide the best private health insurance for our clients."

Jackson Batten has announced the appointment of Len Clarke as director of financial planning. Clarke is one of fewer than 50 financial advisors in the UK qualified to both Chartered and Certified status in the financial planning field. He joins Jackson Batten after 10 years as managing director of a financial planning subsidiary of a Chartered Accountancy firm based in Kent. His most recent role was working in the financial planning company of Macnair Mason Chartered Accountants, who is based in the City.

Advisory & Brokerage Services (A&B), one of the fastest growing IFA firms in the UK, has announced two important appointments as part of its ongoing strategy for further development.

Tony Lanning has been recruited as director responsible for investment. Lanning was previously Investment Director at R.J Temple. He will be responsible for building up A&B's investment management and asset allocation facilities for the company's private and pension fund client base. Lanning's experience will enhance A&B's disciplined approach to fund selection and portfolio construction and management. He will be able to offer a resource to identify investment opportunities for clients and an investment research facility for the company's expanding number of registered individual IFAs.

David Cant BSc ACA has been appointed as A&B's first full time finance director. Cant has joined from Hampden where he was also finance director. In this role, he gained experience in the Lloyd's and IFA sectors which will be highly relevant to his new role.

At A&B, he will have responsibility not only for the Company's financial affairs, but also for corporate services and systems development.

Law firm Weightmans has continued its strategic expansion by appointing a financial director from the oldest Wall Street firm in the US.

He held senior finance positions at leading professional services organisation Deloitte and law firm Linklaters before joining Cadwalader three years ago to establish and head up its London finance operation.

Cannon will be based at Weightmans Liverpool head office.

Teather & Greenwood Limited, a leading independent corporate, institutional and private client stockbroker, has announced the appointment of Robin Aspinall as company economist. He joined on 4 December 2000.

At Teather & Greenwood, he will develop a comprehensive economic research facility initially to support the company's bond and fixed interest trading operations.